The Irish standard., 1887-06-04
I'M AND AROUND DUBLIN.
An Intellectual Draught from the Holy
Wells of Ireland-.-St. Johns
at Kilmainham.
THERE CAN Be NO QUESTION

There CAN Be NO QUESTION
That Well Worship in Ireland, as in
Great Britain, Existed in
Ancient Times.
(By w. F. Wakeman, in Dublin Evening Tele-
graph.)
1t may be advisable to preface my
present article with few general re-
marks.
That in Ireland, even during the ear
liest period of her history, certain wells
or pools were considered sacred, and
more or less endowed with supernatu-
raj qualities, will be very evident to all
who choose to study the writings of our
bardic chron1clers, or to dive into the
current legendary lore of the Irish peo-
pie. For instance, the following story
of the origin of Lough Erne was long
very generally believed. l may say
that legends almost exactly similar re-
ferring to other Irish lakes have been
handed down from remote days. 1t is
singular that they should be handed
down so alike-Lough Erne, according
to an old writer, was supposed to have
been originally a spring we'll. Some
Druids or philosophers, having stated
that it was liable to overflow the coun-
try to the North Sea, as precaution
against that possibility, the spot was
surrounded by a strong wall, and COW
cred with door furnished with lock
and key. 1t was supposed there was no
danger so long as the we'll was thus
secured but certain woman opening
the door to get water, hearing her child
cry, ran to it's assistance, forgetting to
close the entrance. The result was that
she, with her house and family, was
drowned, as well as the whole district
between that we'll and Ballyshannon.
Thus, it has been stated, originated
Lough Erne. Other writer's, however,
tell different but equally wonderful
story-viz., that the lake was formed by
a calf which, emerging from we'll inn
mediately adjoining Lough Gowna,
County Longford (which well bears the
name Tober Gowna or Well of the
Calf) was followed by it's ever-expand-
ling stream till he reached the falls of
Ballyshannon
Perhaps the most remarkable of the
sacred wells of Ireland is that of Tul-
laghan, in the barony of Corrin, county
Sligo. 1t was mentioned seven hun
dred years ago by Giraldus Cambrensis
as one CT the wonders of Erin. The
following is a translation of his refer
ence to the place: '"There is also a
spring of fresh water in Connaught on
the top of mountain, and far from the
coast, which Gibbs twice day, and
flows as often like the sea-" 1.-TWO
trout writes Archdeacon O'Rorke,
d. D., P. p, in his most valuable work
on the parishes of Ballysadare and Kill
varnet, county Sligo, "are said to have
haunted the we'll, and of course to have
been enchanted like the we'll itself.
They are no longer visible, at least to
ordinary eyes, but there are trustworthy
persons who assure you themselves saw
the odd fish some time ago. How they
came there is not easy to say, though
we are hardly bound to believe, with
several simple-minded persons, that
they have been in the well from the
beginning of time. In proof of their
enchantment story is current to the
effect that, though they were captured,
killed, bro1led, and eaten by some pro-
fame people of the neighborhood. they
were seen in their old habitat imme-
diately, after all this, as lively as ever,
and as wholesome as trout proverbially
are"
Tober Tullaghan, though intimately
associated in the minds of. the neigh
boring people with some passages in
the life of St. Patrick, was place of
note many centuries before the intro
duction of Christianity to this country.
There is mention in the Dinnsencles
that Gam. the servant of Eremon, was
slain in Tullaghan, and that his head
was thrown into it's well. The we'll is
far from being the only one in Ireland
said to be haunted by mysterious fishes.
| Who that has beheld the noble ash tree
which to this day throws it's shade over
the sacred fount of Tober Keitan, on
the Blackwater, near Kells, county
Meath, will readily forget the scene of
which it forms the chief feature? The
we'll is small natural basin in lime
stone rock. The water, which is shall
low, Is almost always clear and spark
ling, so that at time neither too bright
nor too sombre, person, looking
through it may usually discern a brace
of supposed miraculous trout. of what
anglers call "herring" size. They are
said to have occupied their narrow
prison from time immemorial, except
when on AN occasion OF two they ex- ex
|perienced treatlne ent like that suffered
Eby 81 rullagha lows bolntii 'l1di